f

an ass." "He takes a spear to kill a fly." "You ask an elm-tree for pears.' "You go to a goat to buy wool.' "You look for hot water under the ice." (English). "He draws water with a sieve." "He hides the sun with a sieve." (Modern Greek). "To drink from a colander." "You use a lantern at noon day.' (Latin). "To dig a well with a needle." (Turkish). "To go with a sieve to fetch water.' "He gathers nuts among the rushes." (Welsh).

He displays his horsemanship in an earthen pot. (Tamil).

He fled from the rain and sat down under the water-spout.

(Arabian).

He gave him vinegar to drink upon the wings of flies. (Arabian).

He tormented him in the most cruel and deliberate way that was possible.

He makes the camel leap a ditch.

(Osmanli).

He said that the stork died while waiting for the ocean to dry in the hope of getting a supply of dried fish. (Tamil).

He sees a glowworm and thinks it a conflagration. (Turkish).

He's unco fond o' farming that wad harrow wi' the cat. (Scotch).

He tells me to put the elephant into the cotton basket, to place the basket on his head, and to lift him up. (Telugu).

He who has killed a thousand persons is half a doctor. (Tamil).

See Bible Proverbs-New Testament: "Physician, heal thyself."

All nations unite in holding physicians responsible not only for the cure but also for the death of their patients. The common people of every age have derided and ridiculed their claims, as they have the claims of priests and lawyers. This

is not surprising when it is remembered that nearly all the proverbs now in use originated in times of man's ignorance and when superstition had much to do with all the affairs of life and influenced both physicians and patients in their opinions and practices. A few proverbs will indicate the nature of the taunts that were in common use among men.

"A broken apothecary, a new doctor." "God healeth and the physician hath the thanks." "Physicians' faults are covered with earth and rich men's with money." "The patient is not likely to recover who makes the doctor his heir." "The doctor seldom takes physic." "With respect to the gout, the physician is but a lout." "Time cures more than the doctor." "While the doctors consult the patient dies." "Diet cures more than the lancet." "The physician owes all to the patient, but the patient owes nothing to him but a little money." (English). "Do not dwell in a city whose governor is a physician." (Hebrew). "The physician takes the fee but God sends the cure.' (German, Spanish). "A new doctor, a new grave-digger." "A young physician should have three graveyards.' 'New doctor, new churchyard." "No physician is better than three." "When you call the physician, call the judge to make your will." "Who has a physician has an executioner." (German). "Time and not medicine cures the sick." "The earth hides as it takes the physician's mistakes.' "The doctor says that there is no hope, and as he does the killing he ought to know." (Spanish). "The doctor's child dies not from disease but from medicine." (Tamil). "Everyone ought to be his own physician.' (Modern Greek). "God is the restorer of health and the physician puts the fee in his pocket." "Tis not the doctor who should drink the physic.' (Italian). "The blunders of physicians are covered by the earth." "If you have a friend who is a physician, send him to the house of your enemy.' (Portuguese). "If the doctor cures the sun sees it, but if he kills the earth hides it." (Scotch). "The doctor is often more to be feared than_the_disease." (French).

His head aches that has no head.

(Bengalese).

This proverb is applied to men who are over desirous to obtain that which is unattainable. There is a similar Sanskrit proverb: "Headache where the head is wanting.'

His nose is cut off and he says " There is a hole." (Marathi).

If a serpent love thee, wear him as a necklace. (Arabian). Court the good opinion of those whom you fear;

treat with great consideration and politeness those who have it in their power to injure you.

If iron becomes copper, a straw may become a pillar. (Tamil).

Both are impossible, so also is the matter about which you speak.

If the ocean were to become clouds, the world would be flooded. (Tamil).

If your grandmother were masculine we would call her grandfather. (Modern Greek).

Is the elephant in the rice-pot or in the water-pot? (Tamil). "If an elephant be lost, is it to be sought in an earthen pot? "The same reason is applicable alike to elephants and earthen pots.' "She will stab the elephant and cover it with a sieve." "Having tied the elephant she will cover it with a winnowing fan." Like putting one's hand into a water-pot in search of a missing elephant." (Tamil).

It is likely the sea will take fire. (Osmanli).

"Pigs might fly, but they're very unlikely birds.'

It is said that the horse has not only thrown its rider, but is digging his grave. (Tamil).

It's as true as Biglam's cat crew, and the cock rock'd the cradle. (Scotch).

It is not true.

It's by the mouth o' the cow that the milk comes. (Scotch). You must not expect good milk from an ill fed cow. "The cow little giveth, that hardly liveth." "It is by the head the cow gi'es milk." "As the cow feeds, so she bleeds.' (English). "The cow gives milk through her mouth.' (German). "Whether in strath, or in glen, 'tis from her head the cow's milk comes.' (Gaelic). "Out of her head the cow is milked." (Irish).

It's lang or ye need cry" Schew" to an egg. (Scotch).

One-eyed men have a vein extra. (Hindustani).

By the loss of one eye they have increased the power of vision in the other. One-eyed people are supposed to have greater knowledge than others.

Putting the cart before the horse. (Welsh).

Found in various forms among all people.

Putting the heaviest load on the weakest horse. (Welsh).

Put your head under your arm.

(Hindustani).

Sending a duck to fetch geese from the water. (Welsh).

Shave the egg and take its hair. (Modern Greek).

"You can't get blood from a stone." "You can't
flay a stone." "You can't strip a naked man.'
"One cannot shear a naked sheep.' (English).
"It's ill to tak' the breeks aff a Hiellandman."
(Scotch). "It's hard to take the horns off a
hornless cow.' (Gaelic). 'One can't comb a
thing that has no hair." "You cannot get oil
out of a wall." (French). "You cannot draw
blood from a turnip.' "You cannot damage a
wrecked ship." (Italian). "You cannot take
a cow from a man who has none." (Danish).
"Like taking the bark off a stone." (Telugu).
"A thousand men cannot undress a naked man.'
(Modern Greek). "Not even a thousand men in
armour can strip a naked man." (Turkish).
"You cannot strip two skins from one cow."
(Chinese).

"Eggs I'll not shave; but yet, brave man, if I
Was destined forth to golden sovereignty,
A prince I'd be, that I might thee prefer
To be my counsel both and chancellor."
Robert Herrick.

She will sit in one's eye cross-legged, and tether five elephants to the pole of a dancer. (Tamil).

Should the mustache of one's aunt grow we may call her uncle. (Tamil).

Teeth do not wear mourning. (Trinidad Creole).

Smiles and laughter may cover a breaking heart.

The blind man sought for a needle in the straw-loft, and the man with a lame hand made a basket to put it in. (Modern Greek).

The distinction of big and little does not apply to snakes. (Tamil).

The egg made faces at the chicken. (Telugu).

Applied to people who insolently mock their superiors.

"A

"It is not good or safe to point the mockery behind the grand scignior's back." (Turkish). disciple greater than his Guru." (Telugu).

The dwarf seizing the moon with his hands. (Bengalese). Applied to those who revile their superiors from a feeling of jealousy or seek to obtain high official positions for which they are unqualified.

The healthy seeking a doctor. (Welsh).

Used when people speak or act inconsistently.

The hen he has caught has four legs. (Telugu).

Used in referring to a tale narrated by one who has been guilty of gross exaggeration.